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Friday, November 4, 2016

November is Sweet Potato Awareness Month

November Is
Sweet Potato Awareness Month

November is a
month known for many things: the usual onset of cold weather, raking leaves,
and the start of the holiday season. November is also Sweet Potato Awareness
month.

Sweet potatoes
are herbaceous perennial vines in the convolvulaceae
family often known as the
“morning glory family”. They belong to a different family than yams and potatoes
and are not tubers but enlarged roots. The common U.S. potato belongs to the
solanaceae family, which also includes tomatoes, eggplant, and tobacco

Sweet potatoes
are often confused with yams (dioscorea alata), especially this time of year. A
few distinctions: yams are not grown in the United States so they are rarely
found in stores. Yams likely originated in West Africa and sweet potatoes in
Central America. While sweet potatoes have smooth, delicate skin, yams tend to
have rough, thick skin.

Tips for
Selection, Storage, and Preparation

Nutrition and
health:Sweet potatoes are fat-free, low in sodium, cholesterol
free, a good source of dietary fiber and potassium, and high in vitamins A and
C. Taste the sweet goodness that sweet potatoes naturally have, and keep the
additions like butter to a minimum. A medium sweet potato (about 2 inches in
diameter and 5 inches long) is around 100 calories when baked in the skin.

Selection and
storage tips:Choose firm, small- to medium-sized potatoes with
smooth skin. Avoid cracks, soft spots and blemishes. Choose sweet potatoes with
a bright, uniform color. Store them in a cool, dark, dry place for use within
two to four weeks or at room
temperature for up to a week. Avoid storing in the refrigerator, which will
result in a hard center and unpleasant taste.

Cleaning and preparing:Before
cooking, wash sweet potatoes with cool, running water to remove any dirt from
the skin and scrub with a vegetable brush if needed. It is not necessary to
peel sweet potatoes before cooking them; leaving the skins on gives you a
different texture and more fiber in meals, side dishes, and snacks.

Cooking with
sweet potatoes: They can be baked, boiled, fried, broiled, and
microwaved. They can also be peeled, cut into chunks and sautéed. When cooking
whole sweet potatoes pierce their skin several times with a fork and bake at
400 degrees Fahrenheit (F) for 40-50 minutes, or until fork tender. Sauté
sliced or diced sweet potatoes in oil for about 10 minutes. Grill or broil
1-inch thick slices for 10 minutes or cut sweet potatoes in half lengthwise and
grill 20 to 25 minutes. When microwaving, pierce several times with a fork and
place on a microwave-safe dish. Microwave whole sweet potatoes for 5 to 8
minutes, rotating halfway through.

Great
additions to meals and side dishes:Sweet potatoes can be prepared
with sweet or savory flavors and go well with meats, fruits, and other
vegetables. Here are some examples of interesting ways to incorporate sweet
potatoes: Toss sliced sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts and cauliflower in olive
oil and salt and bake until tender; sauté peppers, onions and sweet potato
cubes for taco filling; add roasted sweet potato wedges to your favorite
grilled meat; or add roasted sweet potato cubes to a soup recipe.

Source: University of Michigan Extension and University
of Nebraska Extension

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